


Eddie (6 years old)

by The_Cecilia_Egg



Series: Paternal Instincts (How to Raise Your Halfling Boys and Navigate Other Disasters) [15]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, Cuphead (Video Game), bendy and boris in the inky mystery - Fandom
Genre: Avoiding 'The Talk', Child's Perspective, Dante Asking the Hard Questions, F/M, Misunderstandings, New Arrival - Freeform, Takes place after Inky Mystery, window jumping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25818469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Cecilia_Egg/pseuds/The_Cecilia_Egg
Summary: Life can be fairly hectic when you have young fledgeling running around. More so when you have another bundle of joy on the way.No one ever said parenting was easy.
Relationships: Alice Angel/Bendy (Bendy and the Ink Machine)
Series: Paternal Instincts (How to Raise Your Halfling Boys and Navigate Other Disasters) [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863781
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Eddie (6 years old)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Bendy and Boris in The Inky Mystery](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10726146) by [Mercowe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercowe/pseuds/Mercowe), [ThisAnimatedPhantom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisAnimatedPhantom/pseuds/ThisAnimatedPhantom). 



> This takes place after [ThisAnimatedPhantom's](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisAnimatedPhantom/pseuds/ThisAnimatedPhantom) and [Mercowe's](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercowe/pseuds/Mercowe) [Inky Mystery](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10726146/chapters/23768241), an amazing fanfic, which I highly recommend.
> 
> Eddie Angel belongs to [Queen Perri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerriBoo).
> 
> Without further ado...

Dante curiously watched Mom relaxing on the couch, rubbing her tummy with a tired face. She felt tired most days now but Dante was just happy to have her at home. He crept closer, crossing his legs on the floor. She kept saying his new sibling was kicking her, which wasn’t nice. Mom was the absolute best! ...Even if her jokes were pretty bad…and Dads too...

She insisted they didn’t mean it. They were just fussy and wanted to come home already. Dante didn’t understand how he was getting a sibling. He tried to ask Aunt Holly and she said it wasn’t her place to tell him. He asked Cuphead and the man jumped out the window, running down the block saying ‘he didn’t sign up for this’. Weird.

He asked Uncle Boris who told him to ask Mom or Dad. He looked really flustered and felt embarrassed. Dante tried getting the mysterious truth from them, to no avail. Dad coughed a lot saying he would tell him when he was a little older. Mom wisely told him that when two parents love each other very much, that love made children...like him.

He was certain that wasn’t the whole truth but it seemed plausible enough. His parents did love each other a lot. He could feel the warmth of the emotion all the time from them. Maybe it was like a spell, and love was the key component? Of course! That had to be it.

“We should pick out names.” Mom muttered to Dad one night as they tucked him in. “For a girl or a boy.”

“I know...I know.” Dad ran a hand through his fur. “Work’s been hectic lately.”

“And the due dates around the corner.” Mom hummed brightly. “So, no more stalling. We need to have a name ready for the doctors' delivery.” Dad groaned but agreed. They spent most of the night throwing names at each other and Dante quietly listened in. Some of them were really weird suggestions. This went on into the early hours until they got it down to two names for his new family member.

Delilah if he was getting a baby sister.

Eddie if he was getting a baby brother.

Dante didn’t know if he wanted either. He never had a sibling before. The kids at school who had siblings always seemed to dislike them or torment them. Would having a sibling make him bad? He didn’t want to be bad! Now he felt all nervous about being a big brother…

The halfling gasped, getting a splendid idea. He quickly got to his feet, sneaking away from his parent’s room back towards his. Rather than go in and try to sleep, he snuck in Cuphead’s room. He was already a big brother, so he had to have an answer. The dish man said he could ask him anything but never promised an answer. This one should be easy for him to reply. No window jumping needed.

Dante walked over to the sleeping dish man, shaking his shoulder. He jerked away so fast it nearly scared the halfling. Fingertip lit, pointed at the door...and Dante was next to him.

“Who’s there!?” He shouted blearily, looking ahead.

“Me.” Dante poked him. The cup man groaned, blue light disappearing as he flopped back down on his bed.

“Kiddo, you better have a good cussin' reason for wakin' me up in the middle of the starfallen night.”

“It’s actually morning.” Dante corrected.

“ _Dante…_ ” Cuphead's tone warned. Dante frowned. It was morning. No need to get bent out of shape. This was a serious matter.

“Does being a big brother make you bad?” And just like that Cuphead was sitting up, hair a mess. He looked shocked and pale, a wave of unease washing off him.

“Why would you think that?” He was talking, so that was good.

“All the kids at school who have younger siblings are mean to them. Does that mean I’m gonna become mean?” Cup ran a hand through his hair sitting up fully. He sighed and sat quietly for a moment. A sea of feelings drifting by. Love, anger, anxiety, sorrow, guilt, regret, happiness...it was a little much.

“Being a big brother can be hard.” He said at last, the sea calming. “No, it doesn’t make you mean. It makes you strong. Do you know why big brothers are born first?” Dante shook his head. “To protect the siblings that come after them." The dish man explained calmly. "A big brother protects and loves their younger siblings the best they can. Does that sound mean to you?”

“It sounds nice...but also hard.” Dante knit his brow together. “How do I know if I’m doing it right?”

“Sometimes you don’t.” Cup confessed with a shrug. “You _are_ going to mess up but that’s just a part of life.” Dante felt sick. He didn’t want to mess up! Being a big brother sounded good… Cuphead set an arm on his shoulder and he looked up at him. “Just like anything else kiddo, you mess up, learn from it, and try again. You just have to try.”

“Were the other kids not trying?” The dish man shrugged, followed by a yawn.

“I don’t know. Can’t speak for them. But,” Cuphead grinned, ruffling Dante’s hair earning a squawk from the boy. Oh, he hated it when he did that! “I know you’ll do great. I don’t think you know how to do anything halfway anyways.” The man chuckled as the halfling fixed his hair.

“You really think I’ll do good?”

“Kiddo, I don’t think you have a bad bone in your body.” He chuckled. “You’re gonna do great.”

“Thanks Cup.” He smiled up at the man who groaned, and buried himself back in his covers.

“No problem. Now go away and let me sleep.” Dante giggled at his grumpiness and stepped out. If Cuphead thought he would do a good job...then he would. The man never sugarcoated anything...Dante wasn’t sure the guy knew how now that he thought about it. The young boy shrugged it off and slipped back into his own room and curled up with Finn. Try to get some form of sleep so Mom wouldn’t be upset.

-

A few days later, Mom had to go to the hospital. Dante didn’t understand why they couldn’t go see Mr. Hat or Dr. Odd'swell. They were both smart and good at medicine. Aunt Holly said Mom needed a special doctor. Dante didn’t like the hospital. Too many feelings and loud thoughts.

He always knew too much. It made his head spin and stomach twist. He wasn’t allowed to see Mom but he could feel her pain. He got in trouble for trying to go in after her. Aunt Holly stopped him by picking him up, which wasn’t fair. He begged to see her but Aunt Holly insisted she was okay and Dad was with her. It didn’t make him feel better.

A few hours later, Cuphead brought them lunch and took him outside for a bit to cool off.

While he got to breathe in the fresh air, Cuphead took his chance to smoke. They didn’t talk on the way out. Outside was so much better but he still hadn’t seen Mom. All the chaos inside finally muted did help some...not much though. The only emotion he was picking up now was Cup’s calm. 

Dante plopped down with Finn in the grass, rubbing the plushies soft fur. He wanted to see Mom. She had been hurting so much but nobody would let him see her. He didn’t understand.

“When can I see Mom?” He said at last as Cuphead finished his smoke.

“When she’s done.” Cup sighed, stuffing his hands in his jacket. “We can go for a walk if you want..it might be awhile.” Dante clutched Finn tightly. His pal was always there for him when he was upset...he could do the same for Mom.

“I think I wanna go back in…” Cuphead smirked, ruffling his hair again. “...for Mom.”

“If you change your mind kiddo, just let me know. No shame in needing a break.” Dante huffed, puffing his cheeks out. He didn’t need a break, he needed his parents. Cup snickered into his hand, leading Dante back inside. “You’re a tough kid.”

Dante wasn’t sure what to say back to him, so he just held Finn.

-

Dante waited for another hour before Dad came out grinning. How could he be happy when Mom had been hurting so much? Actually…Dante didn’t feel her pain anymore. She was happy. _Really_ happy. All the gathered adults stood up looking at him while he smiled like it was Christmas.

“Well!?” Aunt Holly demanded. Dad took a grand bow, tail sweeping to the side.

“Bendy and Alice Angel proudly present a healthy baby boy, Eddie Angel!” Dante froze and the world seemed to slow down.

Aunt Holly was clapping her hands, saying she needed to go call Aunt Cala. Cuphead let out a sigh of relief, slumping in his chair. Uncle Boris let out a howl of joy, then ran to go call Papa with the news. Dante blinked as the world began to work properly again.

He was a big brother now.

Dante ran up to his father sheepishly, looking him in the eyes. “Can I see him?” Dad looked confused, then beamed pulling him into a hug.

“Of course, buddy. Come on.” His Dad led him into a small room where Mom was wearing this awful pink paper dress with a balled up blanket in her arms. She looked really tired and sweaty like when she went to weed Granny’s garden, except she didn’t have grass in her hair. She was smiling a lot, and crying a little bit too. He didn’t get it.

“Hi Mom.” His voice sounded too small.

“Hey, Danny.” She looked giddy, so he guessed she was alright. Whatever was wrong the doctors must’ve fixed it and found his new brother. Magic, had to be. “Do you want to say hi to Eddie?” He nodded nervously, and she motioned him over. She handed the bundle of a blanket, a tiny little horned head with an itty bitty halo.

“Be really careful, buddy.” His Dad said gently, stepping behind him fixing his hold. “You gotta support his head.” Dante very carefully cradled the tiny boy. He stared down at Eddie’s. He was so...small.

“Hi Eddie.” Dante whispered softly. His tiny face scrunched up a bit but relaxed. He held him closer. He was a big brother now and this was his little brother. He was _so small_. He needed someone to watch out for him, just like Cup said. Eddie let out a tiny sneeze, and Dante giggled. It was adorable!

“I guess you like you little brother?” Mom hummed. She always asked silly questions that she knew the answer too. Like when she asked him what he was doing when he lit the curtains on fire. She saw but asked him anyways. Dante was too busy looking down at his little brother to let it bother him.

“Told ya he would.” Dad chuckled, leaning next to Mom. Their fingers lacing together as their heads touched.

“You did.” Mom admitted fondly.

“I’ve only had Eddie for a few minutes now,” Dante beamed, “but if anyone hurt him, I would break both their legs.” Both adults bolted upright. Eddie giggled. “Twice.” He added firmly as both adults began to panic.

And just like that, the moments ruined.


End file.
